Global Refuge

We are thrilled to announce that Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) will now be known to the world & the people we serve as “Global Refuge.” 🌍🎉 New name, same mission. We invite you to learn more: globalrefuge.org/identity

When James arrived in the U.S. from Haiti, he faced countless challenges as he acclimated to a new country without any guidance or support. To change this narrative for other refugees, James now works as a case manager at Global Refuge, where he helps immigrants and refugees with cultural orientation and connects them to crucial resources like food, transportation, and benefits. "It's humans helping humans," he says. 💞

Excited to be heading to Apex, NC on Saturday to deliver my very first Ted Talk! I’ll be discussing how welcoming newcomers has been vital to this nation’s success and how important it is to maintain that welcoming spirit. I’ll share the stage with other powerful, brilliant women and I cannot wait to be inspired by the experiences and stories they have to impart. https://lnkd.in/ec2Xgwm9

#TBT: Take a trip down memory lane with someone you may recognize… our former President, Ralie Deffenbaugh! For 85 years, Global Refuge, formerly Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS), has been passionately committed to helping immigrants and refugees find safety and new beginnings. To honor our legacy of welcome, former President Ralie Deffenbaugh showcases his cherished LIRS memorabilia, recounts the meaningful stories behind them, and reminds us of the importance of Global Refuge's mission, especially in today’s world.

Across Florida and the Southeast, Global Refuge and our partners are working with children and families who have lost everything due to Hurricane Helene. With Hurricane Milton on the way, we know many families are facing a one-two punch, and needs will be even greater. Your donations help provide food and water to our families, purchase clothing, diapers and air mattresses, and get people into safe accommodations. We invite you to give what you can as soon as you can at globalrefuge.org/hurricane 💙

Now more than ever, discussions around the topic of immigration are among the most heated, debated, and—more often than not—misinformed. On social media and beyond, even our children are consuming content and engaging in conversations that may reinforce negative perceptions about immigrants and refugees. As a trusted national nonprofit serving children, immigrants, and refugees, Global Refuge works every day to counter harmful narratives with truth. We’ve created this guide to help you talk to your kids about immigration, dispel common myths, and help them understand that immigrants and refugees make America a better place for all of us! 🔗 Read more: https://bit.ly/4eQ19Vj

MYTH: Refugees and immigrants take American jobs. ❌ At Global Refuge, we know the truth: refugees and immigrants make the United States a better place. Join SR Program Officer for Employer Engagement, Molly Tidwell, to get the facts that combat this tired myth. ✔️ 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eizRCFdH

Join our team in the work of welcome! Whether working face-to-face with newcomers or behind the scenes upholding standards of service, advocating for just policies, or providing technical and logistical support, Global Refuge staff members make a profound difference in the lives of refugees, immigrants, and the communities in which they live. 💼 globalrefuge.org/careers

This week, President Biden officially signed the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Presidential Determination on refugee admissions, maintaining the annual cap at 125,000 refugees. What is the Presidential Determination? The Refugee Act of 1980 requires that the President annually consults with Congress to assess the scope of global humanitarian disaster, sets a U.S. admissions goal based on global needs and congressional funding, and provides a pipeline for internationally displaced populations to lawfully enter the U.S. after extensive security screening and vetting processes. While the FY25 target remains the same for the fourth consecutive year, refugee arrivals in FY24 indicate promising progress for the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), which had been gutted during the previous administration and has been undergoing major rebuilding and revitalization. “We commend the Biden administration for its steadfast efforts to rebuild the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program,” remarked Global Refuge President and CEO, Krish O'Mara Vignarajah. “Thanks to this administration’s commitment, these families have found safety, hope, and a sense of belonging in communities that are eager to embrace them as neighbors, friends, congregants, and co-workers.” “As we inch closer to the 2024 election, there is much uncertainty about the future of persecuted refugees’ ability to seek safety and freedom in the United States. Our sincere hope is to continue this country’s long bipartisan legacy of welcoming the most vulnerable and leading by the power of our example.” 📰 Read the full press release: https://bit.ly/3Y6YTD8

ICYMI: The Global Refuge 2023 Annual Report is here! 🎉 2023 was, without question, the biggest year in Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service's (now Global Refuge's) history. As you’ll see in our 2023 Annual Report, not only did we grow our staff to an unprecedented team of over 600 people, we launched three major initiatives and massively expanded programming to serve more children and families than ever before. A thread of GRACE—Global Refuge for Advocacy, Care, and Empowerment—runs through everything we do, from our efforts to mobilize communities and congregations to welcome, to our distinctive continuum of care for unaccompanied children, to our innovative refugee and immigrant mental health services. We’re so proud of what we’ve accomplished and excited for what’s ahead—and we know that we can’t do it without you. We hope you enjoy following the thread of GRACE through the programs and stories shared in this report! 📰🔗: https://lnkd.in/ebUcmsN3